1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the optical measurement field. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining polarization-resolved scattering parameters of an optical device.
2. Description of Related Art
Coherent frequency-swept heterodyne network analysis is a known technique for measuring characteristics of optical devices. For example, characteristics such as group delay, loss and polarization-dependent loss (PDL) can all be obtained using heterodyne network analysis. It is also known that the polarization-resolved scattering parameters provide the most general and complete characterization of an optical device. In particular, once the full polarization-resolved scattering parameters of an optical device have been determined, all other measurable device parameters, such as group delay, PDL and the like can be readily calculated.
There is a need for a technique for determining polarization-resolved scattering parameters of an optical device in which measurements of fields emerging from the device can be made accurately and in a reduced period of time.